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Sally Morgan and Kim Stoddart show you how to be a climate change savvy gardener

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  • It’s going to rain this week!
  • In search of good companions
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Leeks - do you plant singly or opt for modules? Leeks - do you plant singly or opt for modules? This is bed of module sown leeks that have grown well and are almost ready to harvest. This style of sowing trialled by @charles_dowding and others has proved successful this year for me. It saves time as seeds are sown in modules ( a little clump of seeds per module) and planted out. Some years they do well, as this, but in drier years I have found I end up with smaller plants. The clumps tend to be more competitive re weeds as more shade. When you look at the way leeks and onions grow, they naturally form clumps so this method of growing mimics the wild plants. It may not produce the best looking leeks with lots of white stem but it's much easier. . . . . . #organicvegetablegarden #leeks #growleeks #vegpatch #allotmentuk #allotmentgarden #gardeningtips #vegetablegrowing #vegetablegarden #organicgardener
Phacelia - why its one of my top 10 plants for the Phacelia - why its one of my top 10 plants for the veg plot⁠ ⁠ This patch of phacelia was sown just 6 weeks ago on a cleared bed and is now full of flowers and attracting masses of bees and hoverflies ⁠ ⁠ So why is it one of my favourites?⁠ 1. Sown from seed⁠ 2. Grows quickly and produces a mass of flowers⁠ for pollinators 3. Great cover crop - protecting soils at this time of year. Can be allowed to flower or chopped and used as a green manure to boost soil organic matter ⁠ 4. Sown late in summer/ autumn, it will over winter and produce essential early flowers for bees ⁠ 5. Self seeding - buy the seed once and always have phacelia popping up in the plot ⁠ .⁠ .⁠ .⁠ .⁠ .⁠ #organicgarden #allotment #allotmentgarden #ediblegarden #vegplot #greenmanure #phacelia #flowersforbees #pollinatorplants #pollinatorgarden #pollinators #gardening #greenthumb #vegetablegarden #honeybee
Nasturtiums - why I have so many around my veg plo Nasturtiums - why I have so many around my veg plot and why they feature in my book My veg plot has Nasturtiums everywhere - it's not just that they look good, attract insects and are tasty in salads ( it's a really punchy, peppery taste) but they are brilliant trap plants. You can see from the pix that they get covered with cabbage white caterpillars and aphids which is great, they are doing their job. If this happens early in the season, I pull out the whole plant to get rid of the pests, and replace. Later in the season it's not so easy so I pull off the caterpillars as I don't want them pupating and overwintering. There's more on using trap plants and push / pull techniques to control pests in my new book The Healthy Vegetable Garden out on 2 Sept - read more on my website _ see link in bio 👆 . . . . . #allotmentlife #vegetablegarden #allotmentgarden #nasturtium #cabbagewhite #gardenpests #organicvegetablegarden
Transformations - the flower farm's new plot is tr Transformations - the flower farm's new plot is transformed in 5 months, from weedy field to flower filled beds. The hardwork in March of strimming, laying cardboard and covering with compost has really paid off. All #nodig Its a mix of perennials and annuals, along with a water harvesting system and compost bins too. Well done @meadowandhedgeroworganics Just shows what allotmenteers and gardeners can achieve on an overgrown plot. . . . . . . . #organicallotments #flowerfarm #flowersfromthefarm #growitorganically #growflowers #allotmentuk
Some thoughts on onions from seed and a living mul Some thoughts on onions from seed and a living mulch. 🌰 These Ailsa Craig onions were grown from seeds, not sets. Sown in modules in Feb / March and transplanted in April and May. They are later than set grown but looking good. Not only is it much cheaper to raise #onion from seed, but it reduces the risk of white rot. White rot is caused by a fungus causing wilting, bulbs become loose in soil and rotting takes place. The spores live for 15-20 years in the soil and infect all members of the onion family. I have had this in the past, imported on sets which are often a source of infection which restricts where I can grow onions. I am also interested in living mulches - a low growing mat of living plants that protects the soil. So I don't remove all the weeds around crops once established. you can see here that I have let speedwells and other weeds grow around the onions to provide soil cover. Not the neatest bed but better for biodiversity 🐛🦋🌼🪲🪳🐞🐝🪰🌸 If you want to learn more about these type of methods re soil and crop health and biodiversity, there is plenty in my new book The Healthy Vegetable Garden out next week - see the link in my bio 👆 . . . . #ediblegarden #allotmentuk #livingmulch #organicgarden #organicallotment #whiterot #thehealthyvegetablegarden #allotmentgarden
Another #tomatotuesday Haul from the polytunnel - Another #tomatotuesday Haul from the polytunnel - finally aubergines are picking up, chillis and sweet peppers, cucumbers, courgettes, French beans and plenty of tomatoes. Polytunnel 🍅🍅🍅 are picking up, they have been a bit slow but the lack of extreme temps have helped as there is less leaf scorch and loss of flowers, also less irrigation. But may be back to tropical temps today!! I brought the organic grafted aubergines, chillis and peppers from @theorganiccatalogue and @delflandorganic - my go to suppliers for young organic #peatfree plants while @thompsonmorgan1855 gave me some tomato seeds to trial which have performed well in this difficult year Think I'm going to be busy in the kitchen .... . . . . . . . #ediblegarden #organicvegetablegarden #polytunnel #sustainablesprout #tomato #tomatoplant #tomatoes #aubergines #chillis #allotmentgarden #gardeningtips
Still plenty to harvest even on a dull day. 🏵 Still plenty to harvest even on a dull day. 🏵️Loving how the nasturtiums have taken off . These have been ignored by the cabbage white butterflies as the leaves are older, but a patch with juicy young leaves are hosting lots of these 🐛🐛🐛🐛 doing their job well as a trap plant [more of that in my book!] . . . . . . #ediblegarden #vegetables #harvest #greenthumb #allotmentgarden #organicvegetablegarden #healthyvegetablegarden
#gateenvy loved this dreamy gate into the Secret G #gateenvy loved this dreamy gate into the Secret Garden at Gasper Cottage nr Stourhead, open last Sunday for NGS Wiltshire. So very Tolkien / elvish in style. Also some photos of the planting and the orchard where the long grass and wildlife pond meant it was buzzing with insects. . . . . . . . #wildlifegarden #gardengate #gardeningstyle #wiltshire #opengarden
#tomatotuesday Some lovely looking Crimson Crush #tomatotuesday Some lovely looking Crimson Crush in the #polytunnel (no filters!) . It really is a classic looking tomato and reasonably tasty. ⁠ ⁠ In a year where everybody is reporting blight I am relieved that I have a few of this blight resistant variety both in the polytunnel and outside. I like to grow heritage varieties which I find tend to be more tasty, but its a question of hedging your bets by growing a mix of blight resistant and the less resistant ones⁠ ⁠ It is claimed that Crimson Crush is 100% blight resistant. I am never sure about that as the strains of blight evolve and new ones appear as is happening now with potato growers reporting outbreaks of two new strains that have been affecting crops across Europe. But so far so good.⁠ ⁠ I plant a couple of Crimson Crush plants nearest the door to the polytunnel as that is the most vulnerable position in the hopes that if blight spores are around, they wont succeed in infecting the first plants that they find. ⁠ ⁠ The seed is F1 so I cant save any, from @theorganiccatalogue⁠ .⁠ .⁠ .⁠ .⁠ .⁠ ⁠ #tomato #growtomatoes #organicgarden #polytunneluk #allotmentgarden #greenthumb #healthyvegetablegarden #ediblegarden #growveggies #gyo #goodlife
🐝🐝 magnet Salvia Mystic Spires. This plant w 🐝🐝 magnet Salvia Mystic Spires. This plant with its a long flowering season has become a firm favourite for the hot bed and containers There were lots of solitary bees around, including this one - I don't recognise this species of bee. Its got very pale hairy legs and good to see there was a male and a female. . . . . . . #bee #beefriendly #beeconservation #beesofinstagram #bees🐝 #solitarybees #beesinthegarden #salvia #salviafarinacea #wildlifegardening
🥒🥒🥒 Cucumber glut - this plant has sudden 🥒🥒🥒 Cucumber glut - this plant has suddenly put on a spurt and produced loads of fruits - it's a variety that produces smaller fruits rather than the typical ridge cucumber. We eat them fresh and I pickle some. Anything else I can do with cucumber? . . . . . . . #polytunnel #polytunnelgrowing #allotmentgarden #saladveg #cucumberchallenge #greenhouselife #greenthumb #ilovemygarden
A friendly on the plot and welcome sight - a delic A friendly on the plot and welcome sight - a delicate green lacewing on a sunflower. You may recognise this distinctive insect but what about its larva? That's small, looks a bit like a tiny earwig with huge jaws. Known as the aphid lion because of its voracious appetite for aphids and other small soft bodied insects. . . . . . #organicvegetablegarden #lacewing #naturalgarden #naturalpestcontrol #predator #beneficialinsects #naturalpredator #insect
Some snacking peppers - described as snack pepper Some snacking peppers - described as snack pepper yellow - so wasn't quite sure what to expect when given a young plant. Its come on well with lots of small fruits - seen here going through lots of colour changes. Has any one tried these? . . . . . . #nationalallotmentweek #polytunnellife #sweetpeppers #snackingpeppers #ediblegarden #allotmentlife🌱 #greenthumb #pepperplant #groworganic
Finally an advance copy of my new book The Healthy Finally an advance copy of my new book The Healthy Vegetable Garden has arrived. So I just had to take some photos! It publishes on 2 September (@chelseagreenbooks) and can be pre-ordered. There's lots to interest both the novice and experienced gardener. I've been a nodig organic gardener for years so plenty on improving soil, understanding the life cycles of pests, diseases and natural predators, whether crop rotations are needed and a look at the alternatives, boosting the biodiversity in your growing spaces plus a look at how plants interact with soil life especially mycorrhizal fungi, and react to pests. I'm talking at Castle Gardens @thegardensgroup on 2 September - see my bio 👆 do come along
Water harvesting on our organic allotments. There Water harvesting on our organic allotments. There is no water supply so allotmenteers save as much as possible. There are loads of simple ideas that save loads of water a year. Here old sheets of corrugated roofing sheets at a slight angle direct water into containers. The sheets are placed over pallet wood storage bins, but could easily be put over compost bins. Its been a pretty wet year so less need for watering, but during the drought year they were essential. . . . . . #allotmentuk #allotmentgarden #organicgarden #organicvegetablegarden #watersaving #waterharvesting
A handful of deliciousness - lots of sweet cherry A handful of deliciousness - lots of sweet cherry toms. Lots of healthy snacking going on during the day. . . . . . #tomatotuesday #nationalallotmentweek #allotmentgarden #tomato #growtomatoes #healthyfood
#nationalallotmentweek 🌱🌸🍅🥒🍓🐞 #nationalallotmentweek 🌱🌸🍅🥒🍓🐞 🌱 Allotments cover 28,000 acres in the UK, most owned by local authorities and just 7% in private ownership like these 🐞 15 allotments were set up in this half acre plot in an #organic farm 12 years ago. Being on organic land, all allotmenteers must follow @soilassociation standards and get inspected 🌻Most of the allomenteers use #nodig methods, soil health is improved, all save water, recycle all their green waste in compost bins and plant lots of 🌼 to bring in 🐝 pollinators and natural predators so #biodiversity is high . . . . . . #allotmentuk #selfsufficiency #growyourownveggies #veggiegarden #allotment #gyo #homegrown #organicallotments
Parsnip seed - managed to collect some seed before Parsnip seed - managed to collect some seed before the rains came. ⁠ ⁠ This must be the 10th year that I have saved my own parsnip seed. Originally Tender and True but now its probably changed slightly as I am collecting seed from plants that do well on my plot. ⁠ ⁠ If you are going to save your own seed, then buy open pollinated seeds rather than F1 hybrid seeds which you can't save seed from as they don't breed true. ⁠ ⁠ #seedsaving is really easy. If you haven't done this before, start with beans. At the end of the season, leave a few pods on the plants and let them swell up, ripen and dry. Collect, remove seeds from pods, dry and store for next year. ⁠ ⁠ What seeds do you save? ⁠ .⁠ .⁠ .⁠ .⁠ .⁠ .⁠ #parsnip #saveseed #potager #seeds #vegetablegarden #ediblegarden #greenthumb #organicgarden #growyourown #growyourownfood #homegrown#garden #gardening #gardens #vegetablegarden #vegetablegardening #allotmentlife #kitchengarden
More butterflies .... 🦋🦋 A common blue and a More butterflies .... 🦋🦋 A common blue and a rather battered marble white visiting a strip of pollinator flowers. A couple of years ago we had to dig a trench for services and I sowed the strip with a mix of grasses and pollinator plants (clovers, trefoil, chicory, salad burnet, yarrow). You can see in the last photo that the birdsfoot trefoil is looking amazing and is bringing in the blues and small coppers. Just need to get some rattle established. . . . #butterflies #butterfliesofinstagram #butterflycount #butterflygardening
#tomatotuesday A good 🍅 haul from the #polytunn #tomatotuesday A good 🍅 haul from the #polytunnel. Plants coming on fast now after a slow start, helped by a bit of warmth. Mix of varieties here - large Brandy Boy with the hint of pink to the skin, Giulietta (plum), Shirley, Consuela (cherries), Crimson Crush and others I can't remember . ... . . . . . #growtomatoes #tomato #allotmentgarden #greenthumb #growtomatoes
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Authors

  • 1 Kim Stoddart
    • Soil health
    • In search of good companions
    • Plants to leave in the ground
    • Saving seeds of resilience part 1
    • Wellbeing through gardening
  • 1 Sally Morgan
    • Growing salvias
    • It’s going to rain this week!
    • My garden’s been flooded, what can I do?
    • Urban creep increases the risk of flooding
    • Saving seeds of resilience part 2

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